Homemade Hive Costs

Sean Kelly · October 08, 2007, 05:19:41 AM

Hey guys!!!

Now that my first year of beekeeping is winding down, I'm already thinking of expanding my apiary in 2008. I'm tired of buying "ready made" equipment. Shipping costs for all that lumber from the east coast to the west coast is just nutty. I'm no stranger to woodworking and figure, why not make my own? I've got the tools to!

So my question is materials costs for building a hive. About how much would the lumber cost to construct hive bodys and frames?

Thanks guys!!!

Sean Kelly

randydrivesabus · October 08, 2007, 07:15:09 AM

it depends on how much you can get lumber for. and if you have the patience to sort through the stuff they sell at lowes/HD since much of it is unusable.

Robo · October 08, 2007, 08:42:15 AM

I buy rough cut from a local mill, much nicer and cheaper than the big chain stuff. As Randy said, it all come down to the price you pay for the lumber, and no one knows that better than you. If you have the skills to build it, you can surely due the cost estimate.

Michael Bush · October 08, 2007, 09:55:08 AM

In my experience the only way to beat the price of ready made boxes, is to find a local saw mill. As Robo says, rough sawn works fine.

Sean Kelly · October 08, 2007, 06:30:40 PM

Wow, so buying lumber from Home Deopt and making my own hive is more expensive than ordering a ready made one and having it shipped from the east coast to Washington State? That just seems weird to me. I figured lumber and stuff would be cheaper locally at HD than the $100 it costs to buy and ship one hive.
It's hard to find the little mom & pop saw mills anymore. Weyerhaeuser and Cascade pretty much took over all the rights out here. I'm sure if I look around I might find someone. Lumber is a little cheaper in Washington since logging is still one of our top industrys.

I still want to try making my own hive equipment anyway just for fun. I was just hoping that since I would already have my woodshop set up, I could pre-make extra hive bodys and frames to maybe make some side money.

Sean Kelly

Michael Bush · October 08, 2007, 08:22:41 PM

>Wow, so buying lumber from Home Deopt and making my own hive is more expensive than ordering a ready made one and having it shipped from the east coast to Washington State?

If you price the hives including shipping from Western Bee Supply (in MT) or someplace closer, I'll bet it's cheaper than buying the lumber at home depot. Try it. I could be wrong.

JMN · October 08, 2007, 09:43:06 PM

Hi Sean Kelly. I've been building my own hives here in NM, buying the lumber from Home Depot. It cost me about $8 for the lumber for a deep, about a dollar less for mediums. Then the glue, the nails, the paint and lots of work. It takes me probably 1 and a half to 2 hours for sawing, dadoing, gluing, nailing and painting. This doesn't include the time and cost it took of building a dado jig. Still, I think I am breaking even, especially if I don't figure my labor. And even if I don't break even, the satisfaction in looking the hives and knowing that I made them, makes it worth it for me.

Have fun and Good Luck. Joseph M. Nemeth

Michael Bush · October 08, 2007, 09:46:07 PM

Another good place out your way, to price would be Shastina. I'm not sure of their phone or address but it was on Beesource at one time. Try a search on here and if you don't find it try a search on Beesource.

BenC · October 08, 2007, 10:47:34 PM

I can rummage through the trash at work and get free lumber usable for beehive components, find a construction site and ask if you can do the same. Aside from that, and if you are really desperate for funding as I am: The only way I can beat the prices from the supply companies is to make boxes out of plywood. I made 30 deeps and a probably a half dozen mediums from (I think I had 4 sheets of 3/4) plywood rips this spring, Titebond II or III and 2" deck screws, rabbeted corners. Much more affordable than dimensional lumber if it holds up- so far so good.

TwT · October 08, 2007, 11:54:27 PM

I have no bee supply places around me, the closes is about 4 hour drive, I can buy lumber from a local lumber sully that is a $1.00 cheaper per 1"x12"x12' and build my own equipment cheaper than buying it and having it shipped, shipping is the thing that makes the difference plus the amount of equipment, buying quipment for 50-100 hives plus shipping is high.. plus when I cut 1x12 down I always end up with pieces for BB's, tops and sides and ends for nuc's, dont waist nothing ;) , I am going to buy a planner before long because I have found a couple local owned mills that I can get good prices on lumber...

doak · October 09, 2007, 02:26:51 AM

I buy ready cut knock downs just like the bee suppliers sell. $5 mediums $8 deep. These are seconds and have a knot hole now and then or a corner knocked off. I can pick through and get the best of the seconds. Then buy frames and put those together myself. Get these local.

If you don't have a good set up with your saw and are not careful you can get to much variations where you don't need it.
Swat I do. :roll:
doak

asprince · October 09, 2007, 07:04:07 AM

I agree with BenC, recycle, recycle! I am a remodeling contractor and old kitchen cabinets provide lots of good materials. After a coat of paint (also salvaged from the job site), you never know the difference. I also experiment with joints. They do not have to be complex or pretty to hold adequately.

TwT, a planer is a wonderful tool and will open up lots of possibilities.

Steve

hilltop hives · October 09, 2007, 01:49:46 PM

I've found that all I'm saving by building my own is the cost of shipping which amounts to about 1/3 of the cost. I buy all of my wood at Lowe's but you have to search through it and pick out the best.

doak, I'll be down your way next month do you think I could get in on some of those seconds? I'm using all med. but I could cut down deeps if the price is right.

Brian D. Bray · October 10, 2007, 07:14:34 PM

>>If you price the hives including shipping from Western Bee Supply(in MT) or someplace closer, I'll bet it's cheaper than buying the lumber at home depot.

That's where I buy mine. I try to buy at least 6 or more as you get a price break above 5 and, of course, you can get bigger price breaks with bigger orders. The shipping from Paulson, Mt is half of what it is from Miller Bee Supply or Betterbee. I slowly getting my wod shop relocated and set up so I'll soon be able to build all of my stuff. Some things like slatted racks, SBB, and top entrances I can't get from comercial sources as they are of my own design so I have to make them anyway. Once I get my table & radial arm saws up and running and my router table setup I won't have to manufacture my equipment using a skill saw and a chisel.

hooyaman · October 13, 2007, 10:38:08 AM

I have been building hive bodies and supers for the past 2 weeks, because I plan to expand to 100 hives in the spring. I have been buying 1x12x12 ponderosa pine from my local lumber yard for 7.00 a board. each board makes 4 supers or brood and have plenty left over for lids or bottom boards. I also have been making my frames out of 2x4s. IT took me a few days to get my jigs lined out, but once I did i rolled the parts out fairly quickly. 2x4s cost me around 1.80 and I can make around 20 frames out of one 2x4x8. This takes some time, but I am saving a lot of money. The only thing I am buying in the spring is plastic bottom boards, foundation, and bees. I figure I will save around 50% by making my own equipment. Plus it is more satisfying knowing that you built your own equipment.